Observing, documenting, extending infrastructural rituals (Chinatown & lower Lower East Side)
Instructor: Jesse LeCavalier
When walking through the city, do we notice the infrastructure that shapes our daily lives? Newsstands were once essential to New York City's streetscape, serving as vital hubs for news and connection. These kiosks provided economic opportunities for vulnerable populations and became beloved fixtures of urban life, symbolizing the city's evolving infrastructure and history.
Today, however, newsstands are at risk of disappearing. Owners and employees, who have spent decades in the industry, face limited options for other employment. In 2007, unique, historic newsstands began to be replaced by uniform steel and glass structures from the CEMUSA company of Spain, displacing over 200 private businesses. This change, part of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s street furniture initiative, sparked debate over the loss of historical elements that define New York's streetscape. Urgent policy changes are needed to help these small businesses survive and preserve their historical significance. The city must balance modernization with preserving its urban history to ensure newsstands remain part of its cultural and economic fabric.